Hey all,

I'm looking for a number of models to build in order to mock up possible new museum facilities in 35th scale. In my search for suitable kits, I keep coming across the same issue: there are no kits out there for any heavy Allied AA guns, only German.

Is there anything available (or even on the drawing boards) for the M1A1 and M2 90mm or MkIII 3.7" guns? I just found the Russian M1939, but so far, that's it!

I'd started scratchbuilding an M1A1, but I'm pressed for time and need to be able to have a useable product pretty quickly.

thanks,

Jon

how about the bofors gun from avf and bronco
and this one from commander model
http://ironshipwrights.com/armor/37MM.html

henk

How about new AFV Duster?

I think the 90M.M. was reboxed and available at times, maybe 1/32 or 1/40 scale, not sure as I haven't seen it for awhile. For light A.A. there are some white metal single/dual 40's, some 20M.M. If you go to splinter fleet site and scroll down you'll see them. The Bofors is currently available in plastic. Picking are slim for allied stuff though.

most of the ones I can think of were built by Renwall or Revell, and were not in 1/35th scale. I'd still like to build another Renwall "Sky Sweeper" again. Revell did either a 90mm or 120mm anti aircraft gun that reminded me of the German 88 (probably 1/40th scale). I wish somebody would do a quad 40mm Bofors Naval mount like we'd see on a battleship (tub and all). And a good 20mm mount would also be nice as well
gary

Renwal did the Skysweeper (M51 75mm automatic gun) and the "Stratosphere gun" 120mm M1, both in 1:40. I've got each of them in the museum's collection. Both are of some help, since I can extrapolate 35th scale from them and use them as place holders. But that doesn't help with the 90mm guns and the British 3.7".

I've got most of the SP stuff covered, although if anyone knows of a HEMTT trailer in 35th that I can turn into a Patriot launcher, I'd be grateful.

The list of styrene offerings in Allied AAA is painfully and shamefully lacking. AFV Club and Bronco's Commonwealth 40mm Bofors guns, Dragons M55 quad .50 trailer and Tamiya's lone .50 cal gunner from their old US Combat set, plus the M16 halftracks and GMC 2 1/2 ton w/Bofors, the M42 kits and a very few modern offering, this in comparison to the multitude of WWII German AAA currently offered by everyone.

Considering the role the 90m AAA guns played it seems obvious to all but the manufacturers that they should be offered. US forces used the 37mm AA gun almost as widely as the 40mm Bofors. There is no 75mm AAA, not even a water cooled .50 cal.

If you don't mind building in resin, Accurate Armour do a 3.7"

http://www.accurate-armour.com/ShowProduct.cfm?manufacturer=0&category=15&subcategory=17&product=1834

Commanders is doing the 37mm gun mount and a conversion for the M-15 AAA Halftrack

Excellent, thank you! That's exactly what I need. Now if they only did a 90 as well....

Great to hear about the M15 conversion set as well. I just emailed Commander to see when it and the 37 will be available.

Jon

Let's face it - it isn't an 88 so why sell it. Never too many versions or kits of that gun.
I thought Accurate Armour made the 3.7" AAA gun - pricey, but quite nice looking.
The old Renwal Skysweeper was the overly designed 75mm gun from the Post War era. It is 1/32 and sells for too much on the rare kit market.
Azimut makes the Russian 85mm gun - very much like the 88.

Back in the "old days" of 1/40 scale there was a 120mm gun kit - LifeLike sold it, it may be around in the rare kit arena.
I don't recall any 90mm kit in resin, metal, or any other medium. Really a shame since it was used in both version in every theater of the war. In the Osprey US anti-tank artillery book there are some nice shots of the later version in the Ardennes just waiting for some German armor to show up.
HR products makes a couple of nice metal guns.
They have 2 20mm guns, Oerlikon on Mk 5 mount (heavy ship) and one on the light PT Boat mount.
Their 40mm Bofors (single navy) is really nice.
They also have the naval 3" gun - open mount that was an AAA gun.
Like most Allied equipment - Supposedly it doesn't sell so let's make more obscure German kits.

Plus Model has released one :

https://armorama.kitmaker.net/review/3863

Talking about water cooled machine guns, Tank has released a Soviet anti-aircraft quad mount for Maxim machine guns :



HTH

Frenchy

Nice water cooled .50! I'll have to add that to the list too. I'm anxiously awaiting a reply from Commander. The M15 conversion is actually a T28 setup with the M15 armor. It would need some minor modification and air cooled .50s to be an M15. I'm wondering if they're going to do an A1 conversion too.... One can hope!

Jon

Can you use a German 88 to make a 90?

Unfortunately no. Two completely different animals. However, I may have a solution in the works.

Jon

Hi Jon,

there was once a Patriot launcher plus the M983 tractor from a Spanish company called NIMIX. Bought the kit some years ago, but after I had access to a real patriot. I decided to let it go since it would have ended in a 90% scratch rebuild.

Sadly true

Hans-Hermann

Hans-Hermann,

Thanks very much for pointing Nimix out to me. I hadn't seen their stuff before. Looking at their Patriot kits, they don't look too bad. Have they redone them since you got your kit?

http://www.nimix.net/vehiculos%201.35_ingles.htm

I'm going to have to see if they have a US distributor, since I'm restricted to purchasing from US sources.

Jon

Sorely lacking (and would be a popular crossover subject b/c lots were taken by the Germans) is the 85mm Soviet AA gun.

Anyone know the quality on this one? I've got two M1939s in the collection (one rebored for 88mm) and had planned on getting one of these too:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/1-35-Choroszy-SOVIET-MODEL-1939-85mm-ANTI-AIRCRAFT-GUN-/150767325398